. my food rules .

Did you know that our bodies stop burning calories exactly two hours before we go to sleep? Mmm hmm, they sure do. And I bet you weren’t aware of the fact that eating fat will make us fat either…

😆 😆 😆

Sorry, I just couldn’t keep a straight face. But in all seriousness, I’m willing to bet that the majority of us have fallen victim to food myths like those at one point or another, accepting them as truths that went on to dictate how and what we ate. Don’t be ashamed to admit it – I’m guilty too. Among a plethora of other silly myths, I used to be absolutely convinced that anything I ate after dinner would spitefully make it’s way down to my butt or thighs while I slept, and fat was something I avoided like the plague – convinced that both would ultimately lead to my demise.

Thankfully, time and experience have taught me better, and I’ve gone on to replace the myth-based food rules with some that work a lot better for me…

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Going to bed hungry is never an option…

I went into a lot more detail about this here, but I basically used to force myself to fall asleep hungry because I was afraid to eat too late at night. It was horrible – if I actually managed to fall asleep, I would wake up repeatedly through the night to the sound of my grumbling stomach. These days I always eat before bed, no matter what time it is. 9, 10, 1 AM… any time, and any thing is fair game. No carbs before bed is as silly as no food before bed…

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Food is not a number…

Calories, carbs, fat, protein… it seems as though we’ve lost sight of the true essence of eating and turned it into a science, full of numbers, equations, ratios, and calculations. I regret the day I learned about calories, and I’m doing my best to make my way back to that ignorant, or at least indifferent, state where a banana is simply a banana.

. – . – . – .

Yogurt (or anything else for that matter) shall never be fat free…

I used to only buy 0% yogurt, skim milk, low fat cheese, light dressing, etc., but now that I’ve seen the beauty that is full fat everything, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go back. Not only is it richer, creamier, and far more luxurious feeling, but it tastes so much better and leaves me far more satisfied than non-fat ever did. Don’t fear the fat, people!

. – . – . – .

If you don’t like it, don’t eat it…

I don’t even want to think about some of the things that I choked down in the name of health because I’d like to keep my appetite in tact, thank you very much. I bought into a lot of the hype surrounding superfoods and nutritional powerhouses, trying to sneak them into my diet any time I could in an effort to reduce my chance of developing cancer by 0.7% and increase my life by 2.4 years, but I just can’t do it anymore. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ll never like green in my smoothies or chia seeds in any form… and that’s okay. I’m still healthy.

. – . – . – .

Veggies for dinner are entirely optional…

I used to believe that sweet, breakfasty meals were only allowed at breakfast – lunch and dinners had to be savory and had to have a healthy helping of veggies. No more. Breakfast for dinner? Breakfast for lunch? I’m a big fan.

. – . – . – .

Cravings shall be satisfied appropriately…

Carrots will never satisfy a cookie craving, and neither yogurt nor banana “soft serve” will ever come close to the deliciousness that is real ice cream. I’ve stuffed myself sick with “safe” alternatives in an effort to satisfy my “naughty” cravings, and came to the conclusion that… it doesn’t work. Better to eat and enjoy the real thing, and move on.

. – . – . – .

There’s always room for dessert…

True story. No matter how full I am, my stomach will always find somewhere to put dessert. I used to believe that dessert was completely unnecessary, since it wasn’t nourishing my body in any way, but the nourishment that it gives my mind is perhaps even more important so you won’t find me passing on it these days.

. – . – . – .

No combination of flavors is ever too strange…

Remember this? Or this? Or even this? I’m definitely no stranger when it comes to “interesting” food combinations… but the way I see it, it all gets mixed up in your stomach anyways, so you might as well hit as many cravings as you can before it goes down.

Whether it means having lunch at 10:30 in the morning or a snack at 1 AM, I never force myself to go hungry in an effort to eat less throughout the day. Hunger is misery, and dragging it out takes away from our ability to enjoy our life… Better to honor it and move on to something else.

. – . – . – .

What are some of your food rules?
Have you ever fallen victim to any food myths? Are there some you still have trouble letting go of?

Reader Interactions

Comments

Ah I didn’t know you were back blogging! I love reading your posts 😀 I was definitely one to believe in the food rule “Don’t eat after 7pm” (or else the fairy carb monster will turn all you eat into FAT!!) haha but in all seriousness I can’t go to bed hungry or else! Even if it’s at 10pm a girl’s gotta eat 😛

I know this may sound really corny, but…You’re so brave. Really. Each and every one of your food rules are the rules that I LONG to live by again. You have one of the most inspiring blogs out there, and I read quite a few. Yours is one of the only ones that really make me feel like I can kick my ED because there’s someone else out there who’s been where I am and still came out on top, happy and free. It’s truly and completely inspirational and yes, healing. Thank you for these posts. SO much.

I’m with you on food rules – most of them are unbelievably ridiculous. Keeps me wondering who actually follows them. Don’t people notice nothing bad happens if breaking one of them? I feel sorry for the people who do live by them.

While I can’t say I had let go of every food rule – at least not the ones I made up myself, sigh – I’m over many of them. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t eat right before bed. Hey, I must be breaking two rules at the same time by eating chocolate and oats shortly before going to bed, right? Aaaah, it feels so good to break the (food) rules every day!

I think that a lot of people don’t realize that nothing bad happens when they break the rules because they’re too afraid to break the rules in the first place, so they never even give themselves a chance to see that, really, only good comes out of it. At least, that’s how it was for me before I faced my fears and took the plunge. I expected the worst to happen, but surprise, surprise, it ended up being the total opposite

Best post ever!! I love all of your rules – one that I follow religiously – always a snack before bed – no matter how late it is or if I’m hungry or not I must have something sweet before bed.! I can’t go to sleep without it!

this post made my day. I absolute hate when people comment with diet myths they have heard, or sadly live by them. Heck a midnight snack can happen! I live by most of these and really adore you even more for writing this.

Your rules are totally the type of rules that everyone should have! Oikos 2% yogurt is my favourite now that I can’t find chobani anywhere, it is so great and thick! Your food rules are definitely things that I could work towards to actually get along with food better (get along with food? wow, that sounds odd). But what I mean is that I need to work a bit more on not eating things that I don’t like because sometimes I catch myself wondering why I am having something as opposed to something else. Like real butter melted on pancakes, beats coconut oil any day.

It took me a loooong time to be ok with eating before bed! I still feel awkward if I know I’m going to be in bed within the next hour and I’m getting hungry, but I’m learning to just eat. Food can digest while we sleep! I did the “fall-asleep-to-growling-stomach” thing way to many times…not a fun way to live!

Dinner does not need veggies all the time – I had Annie’s Mac and Cheese with chopped up hot dogs and ketchup for dinner tonight. It was childhood in a bowl and spinach or whathaveyou would have ruined that a little.

Oh girl, there are nights where I actually get out of bed to go grab a quick something and then jump right back in. The thought of going to bed even the slightest bit hungry seriously gives me anxiety attacks, so I take extra precautions 😆

well thank you jesus! i tell my clients that all the time. Calories are calories. Heartburn and digestive issues, well thats another story. But our bodies are so different. IT’s all about what feels best.

I always eat after 7pm. I sometimes skip lunch and eat two dinners. I drink a glass of wine every night. I’m still alive and i’m happy to find out what works for me. slowly but surely.
Mind over matter, yes?

I agree with Aimee! Even in the deepest throes of my ED I always had a snack right before bed… back then, it was because I strictly counted/portioned out my calories for the day and the snack was part of that whole rigid schedule of eating. It was there as cushion in a way, so I don’t wake up starving in the middle of the night, but also as pretty much the one BEST thing I would have the entire day…. a sweet, good note to end on a most miserable day. Very sad, let me tell you. This snack was like the biggest thing I ate all day.

Now, I still have snacks before bed but only because I’m genuinely hungry and/or craving something, so… why the heck not? Like you said, going to sleep hungry is misery. It’s worse than being hungry during the day, because then, I always felt like I could at least distract myself or chug water enough to numb it. Gah, what an awful way to live…

Haha what a fun post! It’s so amusing what people (myself including) can believe when it comes to “food rules.” In reality, I think the only “rule” around food is to enjoy it and honor your cravings for it. Food is a simple but critical part of everyone’s lives, and we shouldn’t complicate it! I used to go to sleep hungry sometimes too but now I try to avoid that situation. I know that if I’m laying in bed and my thoughts are swirling around food, it’s time for a midnight snack. And food is definitely not a number. It never was and never should be. LOVE this post!!

gahh TRUTH! I’ve fallen victim to most of those rules myself, and I love how you’ve turned them around into new ‘rules’ :-). I especially agree with honoring your cravings – sticking greek yogurt in the freezer just does not work if you really want to go out for froyo! My main “food rule” that I follow now is that I absolutely have to eat no later than an hour after I train (running, cycling, swimming) – I might not be hungry for it, but i’ve noticed huge astronomical improvements in my recovery from the workouts when I do (versus when I wait till I feel hunger), so it’s worth it!

First of all – I NEED that recipe for whatever that white and red-pinkish cranberry (raspberry? strawberry?!) looking bar baked thing is…please? I just…I need it. I want it in and around my mouth.

Anywho – I could not agree more! I always eat before bed too, if not, I wake up in the middle of the night (usually to take a wiz) STARVING. Although I do that anyway, I know I’d be just ravenous if I didn’t and probably start eating my bed post. Mmm wood.

Great post Amanda, as always! Before-bed snackin is my jam, I do however actually really enjoy chia, & making my food green with leafies . Each to their own i guess:). And strange food combinations are often the best inventions IMO!

When I 1st saw this post I was totally like, why is she posting a picture of herself sneezing? Baha
Xxx

loveee your food rules!! something i’ve picked up along the way is..don’t fear the fat! i’ve also realized that i can’t fall asleep when i’m hungry. a few times i spent hours tossing and turning because i couldn’t fall asleep, but the moment i ate something, i fell into a sweet slumber. Now whenever i’m hungry before bed, a spoon or a few spoonfuls of nut butter always does the trick!

All of your philosophy sounds like it’s working perfectly well Amanda! As many of us have said, our bodies react and crave for different things at different times, and it’s just best to honor them and MOVE ON. I think though, a lot of your philosophy is and should apply to most people. For example, full or part fat is always better because it comes in its natural state! (I think?) And for sure I find myself oftentimes thinking, “man this has no nutritional value” as I eat some super rich and decadent dessert. haha! But it seems like the more time passes, the more comfortable I am to eat those things and be like, “ahhh it’s okay it’s better to not over-think it and be content about it”. ps: Luckily I do enjoy veggies, chia seeds, and all those things so don’t be surprised if or when you see them on my posts! 😉 2ps: strangely enough, you are so influential that I’ve been really enjoying cereal at the most random times! You must be brain washing me 😀

Sorry, but to me THIS sounds like HEALTH.
Wait. That was all we were looking for o so long?! Haha
you rock girl, everything sounds amazing, and like our parents taught us as kids.
I’m enjoying the full fat versions right now, too, this is an easy way for me to get my fats without needing peanutbutter anymore(well i can’t keep it because i would eat half the jar in one sitting).
Do we need to diet? NO. Then stop living a diet every single day and call it a “healthy livestyle”.
Healthy means to enjoy living without thinking about food the whole time. (My opinion)
Trust your body, be happy and enjoy your live.

This post is AWESOME!! && I couldn’t agree more with you than dessert is a must. I can be so full my button on my jeans is about to pop off, but I refuse to not follow up dinner with a treat!! It’s just a necessity in life

I agree with ALL of your rules – particularly that no food should be fat free! I reaaaally don’t like no-fat dairy, it has an awful aftertaste and just tastes bleh. I used to eat 0% chobani because that’s all we could get here – but as soon as they introduced the 2% I fell in love – I don’t know what the heck I was eating before, but that was NOT good 😛

When it comes to weird combinations – nutella and goat cheese is probably my weirdest… but ohhhhh my is it good!

One of my biggest food rules is, If I CAN eat it – and I LIKE it… I WILL eat it, regardless of what anyone says. With so many food intolerances and celiac disease, I can’t afford to “ban” foods just because so and so said it’s bad – I’d have nothing to eat!!

Oh, Amanda- I used to be the SAME way with so many of those ridiculous food rules! I was so afraid of fat that I would order my fish or chicken at restaurants with “no butter or oils”. Nuts right?! Now I’m so in love with coconut oil that I practically drench everything I cook in it! If fat truly did make me fat, I would be an elephant by now.

Same goes for the whole “trying to find a healthier alternative” rule too. There is a time and place for banana soft serve, and there is also a time an place for some good old ice cream 😀

i love this post, love love love love LOVE it. i’m probably still working on developing my own food rules but i’ve recently stopped trying to eat low fat everything and realized that you’re right – i am WAY more satisfied by foods that are filling than by mass quantities of foods that are not. i want to print out these rules and post them on my wall.

as usual, love your post. i used to do the whole hungry before bed thing. now i always have something before i go to bed. the worst is waking up at 3-4 in the morning hungry and not being able to sleep. i refuse. plus, i love a bowl of sweet granola before bed. makes me uber happy.

Sometimes I have two snacks at night. My normal evening snack (usually something sweet because that’s what I crave between dinner and bed) and then a handful of almonds or a granola bar right RIGHT before bed…because I feel hunger starting to strike and I KNOW that I won’t sleep well if I’m hungry at all!

I do too! Not fully blown anxiety attacks, but enough anxiety to keep me uncomfortable and awake. Like I’m afraid of starving myself and going back to old behaviors. My mind just will. not. stop. until I satisfy that hunger!

I love this post and I agree with everything (except for green smoothies and chia seeds… I like those haha)! It’s sad how many food rules I had back in the day… I always went to bed hungry too and it was the most uncomfortable feeling ever! Now I always eat before bed too. And YES to full fat dairy. Oikos 2% vanilla Greek yogurt is the most heavenly tasting yogurt I’ve ever tried! Also Liberte just started making 2% Greek yogurt – it’s pretty good too!

I LOVE this! and I have a lot of the same food rules or am trying to implement them (AKA the honoring hunger and not routine thing) We are actually learning how fat is synthesized in the body and it is not from fat making you fat! Such amazing science! I need to try lowfat yogurt, I was brought up on skim so it is not a fat thing getting me, it is habituation.

My biggest rule is always have breakfast. No matter what time it is, eat something. I like it best right when my day begins!

I love this post so much! Even though I consider myself recovered, I an still guilty of following some of those “rules”. When I was in my ED I would feel guilty if I ate anything with fat in it. Now if I buy something fat free or low fat I feel guilty! I’m like what?? Get the full fat dummy! I still have the notion in my head that I have to have veggies at lunch and dinner but am slowly coming to realize that I don’t have to! You inspire me so much. Waffles for dinner tonight! I think so.

DONT FEAR THE FAT!! That ones probably my favorite, only because I love nut butters, hummus and avocados so much I went over TWO YEARS without nut butters, thinking they were horrible for me. My nails were split, broken and ripped. My hair was gross, failling out and thin (more so than usual!) Now that I eat fats, my nails grow like a freaking cats! My hairs still thin, but at least it has its shine back 😉
Screw the rules! Just eat!

I love this post! Damn all those food myths and food rules people fall for! I have to say I used to be the girl that would not eat before bed too, I fell victim to that a few years ago when modeling and so dumb it was.

I can NOT go to bed without a full tummy, even if I don’t work out, I still eat before bed. I sleep better having a full stomach 😉

I think diets are so stupid, I seriously can’t stand them. I know they help people, I have nothing against that, just not for me. I do what works best for me and my body, I am on the katie eats what her body craves kind of diet I guess, haha!

I love this post so much. All of the things you said are things that I have learned in the past couple years and a few that I still have to constantly remind myself. Thank you for positing this!!! Just found your blog and am definitely going to be a regular reader from now on

Wonderful post. I remember there were times I went to bed so hungry, my stomach growled so frequently, that I tried to satiate it chugging loads of water or tea. Now I just try not going to bed too “full” (or i sleep very uncomfortably)

It’s been a long road to finding food rules that work for my body. Still walking the road, but enjoying the bites of food along the way

I have definitely fell fowl of the fat will make you fat and the carbs will make you fat one but I’m definitely with you on the full fat versions of things, generally that is what I will always go for now!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this post!!! I actually can agree with every single one of your food rules! This is a healthy approach to eating! I especially agree with the going to bed hungry thing…I CAN’T stand that feeling! A nighttime snack happens EVERY night for me! NO exceptions! Keep up the awesome perspective girl….you rock!

Yes to most of these. All I can say is ED has a lot to answer for. I sometimes really hate that I wasted so much time obsessing over food but, through all the bad, I’ve learnt a lot about myself.

I never eat low fat dairy. I make a point of avoiding it in fact.
I used to go to bed starving too. I guess I spent my whole time like that in reality, but it’s the night I remember the most.

I swear the body has memory for things like this because I have zero tolerance for hunger now. I massively overeat if I leave hunger for more than like 15 minutes. Maybe that’s just me but it’s as if my body still doesn’t trust me.

I don’t have a high tolerance level for hunger either, and it just plain scares me. If I let myself stay hungry for too long, I swear I feel panic attacks coming on. The body definitely remembers all the pain of starvation…

Loving all of these rules. I am a recovering calorie counter who definitely “turned food into numbers” and still working on it, but so much better than I was. And seriously what is better than full fat foods? Almost nothing. A life without peanut butter is no life at all. I used to believe in the whole “don’t eat 2-3 hours before bedtime” rule too…and would wake up positively RAVENOUS in the morning. What was I thinking?? Bedtime snacktime is my favorite time of day now.

All these food rules are exhausting. I couldn’t agree more with you that food isn’t a number – it is there to nourish us or provide enjoyment – usually both. Its ridiculous to think that some people have turned it into a numbers game. Don’t even get me started on the whole white sugar thing…its not going to kill us as along as we don’t over do it daily.

This is so awesome Amanda. I love it. I can’t believe back in the day how I would rely on light bread, fat free pop tarts, 100 calorie yogurts and fruit for sustenence- my “treats” were fat free hot chocolate full of aspartame, fat free sugar free fro yo, and fat free sugar free pudding. BLECH> and I wondered why my stomach used to hurt all the time! I was truly convinced that fat would make me fat, and was terrified to eat anything more than 3 g. at a time. All I can say now is BRING IT ON, the more the better! And, I am no longer hungry every 1.5 hours!

Your dessert rule is my favorite! Few meals go by without including something sweet in them, whether it’s fruit or chocolate. They just don’t feel complete without a sweet ending! I used to feel bad for having such a sweet tooth but now I embrace it and try to balance it out with healthier options that still fulfill my cravings for the sweet stuff.

I guess its normal when you think of how it was back in the stoneage and the seasons affect on foods available. Anyways I love your blog, and I love you. Don’t stop blogging!! I like how you bring up different topics and share your thoughts around them. You seem so insightful and lovely

Holy crap. THANK YOU. Like seriously thank you for posting this. I cannot even begin to explain how well for starters true this all is but also how much of a realization I just had. I know I’ve been victim to food rules, big time. Yes, everyone has. It’s so easy to fall victim too because they are anywhere and everywhere!!! The carbs before bed has been a hard one to get over, I still find myself feeling guilty sometimes but I’ve tried to start thinking… “Sarah, carbs are the bodies immediate source of fuel… your hungry, heck your really hungry… and you want to sleep.. Eat the damn carbs and go to bed”. I think we get too caught up in wanting to be the best. Over-analyzing everything. Yes, making food into a science. Which… technically it is BUT unless your in school to be an R.D does it really matter THAAAAAAT much? No. I like your “food rules” here, because well they aren’t rules… they are listening to the human body

I absolutely LOVE this post. I just found your blog from Alex and I just have to say I agree with everything you just said. The comment you made about wishing you never found out about calories; I feel the EXACT same way. When I was little I would eat whatever, until I was full then stop. I also wouldn’t not eat something because of the calorie content. I don’t even think I knew what calories were! Now I can’t even remember the last time I ate something, not wondering how many calories were in it. It kind of stinks, but I hope one day I can be a better ‘intuitive’ eater and not worry so much about calories.

I LOOOOOOOOOOVVEEE YOOOOUUUURR BLOG!!!! Soooo much!! It is just amazing! You are an amazing person and the inspiration I need finally to kick any bits of my past ED thoughts. I can’t even begin to explain how much just reading your post have made me smile!. I am a teen male with a blog who had an ED. I am pretty unique but I don’t mind! Check out my blog if you have time ! Thanks!:)

My daughter who’s is turning 3 in a week has this knack for laying in bed 30 minutes then getting restless legs and says she hungry! As you could imagine paranoia sets in for me. Slowly but surely I’m remembering that a child knows how to eat better than I do.
The Lord is certainly teaching me how to eat and live naturally through my daughter’s habits. Eat when hungry stop when full cry till you get your craving satisfied, sure it’s with discretion but still.. .
it’s a beautiful thing to watch her slowly enjoy her food. Not obsess over it. Get Her Energy From it, And Play Hard Until She’s Hungry again.
Because of my lack of nutrition I’ve been missing a lot of the signs God is giving me. Cognitive incoherence.
Since she’s been born I’ve been vegetarian, vegan, clean, paleo, ketogenic, low fat high carb raw vegan, it all makes me feel sorrowful. But that’s how we learn, right?
there’s a greater purpose for all this nonsense.